Avs' Sgarbossa plans to prove his worth

New forward likely to play tonight vs. Canucks

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA-- Michael Sgarbossa has had his critics. He's too small. He's too soft. A good junior and minor-pro player, but it won't work in the NHL. So they say.

The native of Campbellville, Ontario, could get his chance to prove his critics wrong -- just like he's done at every level -- tonight at the Rogers Centre against the Vancouver Canucks.

Sgarbossa was called up by the Avalanche from Lake Erie of the American Hockey League Tuesday, with center Brad Malone sent back down. The Monsters' leading scorer this season with 16 goals and 36 points in 38 games, Sgarbossa played Monday night in the American Hockey League all-star game in Providence, R.I. The previous season, with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League, he led the league in scoring with 47 goals and 102 points in 66 games.

With such outstanding numbers, it seems shocking that Sgarbossa never was drafted by an NHL team. He was bypassed in two drafts, with the knock against him being size and toughness.

"I've always had to prove people wrong," said Sgarbossa, upon landing in Vancouver Tuesday after traveling from Providence through Montreal to get here. "But I'll prove them wrong again. (Colorado) traded for me and gave me the chance to play at Lake Erie, so that's been great and I'm excited for this chance now. I've seen their injuries lately, but I wasn't sure they'd recall me or take one of the older, more established guys.

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I'm happy to have gotten the call."

Sgarbossa was asleep in his Providence hotel room when coaches from the Monsters tried to call him with the good news. They finally enlisted hotel security get his attention, and the rest of Sgarbossa's day was spent traveling across North America.

Sgarbossa is likely to jump into the lineup against the Canucks, as the Avs are carrying only 12 healthy forwards. The Avs said Tuesday there was nothing new to report on the condition of captain Gabe Landeskog (head, leg), as the team did not practice. It appears unlikely Landeskog will play Wednesday, but a final determination will be made after the morning skate.

Sgarbossa describes himself as an "offensive playmaker" who has worked harder on his defense at Lake Erie.

"I think I see the ice pretty well," said Sgarbossa, 20, who was acquired in a multi-player trade with San Jose last season. "I can get guys the puck when they've got a hot hand. I think I'm a big-game player and play when it matters. In the NHL, every game matters."

When he saw Sgarbossa in training camp, Avs coach Joe Sacco said: "You could see he's got a really good hockey IQ. He's a smart player. I could see that he's a player who wants the puck. He wants to make plays. Those are good traits, and that's why he's an offensive player who puts points up."

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